Theodore j



(No Model) T. J. ZOELLER. ELECTRIC GAS LIGHTER. No. 408.785. Patented Aug. 13, 1889.

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UNITED STATES PATENT UFFICEQ THEODORE J. ZOELLER, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, DANIEL E. DOHERTY, B. D. MATTINGLY, AND O. J. DOHERTY, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC GAS-LIGHTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 408,785, dated August 13, 1889.

Application filed December 10, 1888. Serial No. 293,102. (No model.)

To all whom it may 00111067711: elcctro-magnet H, the pole lot which extends Be it known that I, THEODORE J, ZOELLER, up through a gas-tight opening in the diaa citizen of the Unit-ed States, residing at phragm D. Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and At J is a bracket screwed to the diaphragm 5 State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and carrying at its upper end a cupped screw and useful Improvements in Electric Gas K, between which and a similar screw K, set Lighters, of which the following is a specifiin the base A, works a conicallyended shaft cation, reference being had therein to the ac- L, carrying a permanent magnet M by means companying drawings. of a bridge N, which is firmly secured to the. to This improvement relates to that class of shaft L and to the permanent magnet, which electric lighting in which a taper or small magnet acts as an armature to the electrolight is kept continually burning, and which magnet H. is increased to its full power by the motion of Between the base A and diaphragm D is a a valve caused by the movement of an armatube 0, closed at the bottom, but open at the 15 ture of an electro-magnet; and theinvention top, which allows of the use of a long shaft consists in the peculiar construction, arrange for the magnet M, and thus insures a steady 6 5 ment, and combination of parts hereinafter mot-i011 for the said magnet M. more particularly described, and then deli- Attached to the shaft is a strip forming nitely pointed out in the claims. a valve I, the free end of which carries a 20 In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 screw Q, whose lower end rests on the magrepresents a side elevation of my improvenet M, and by screwing said screw in or out ment with parts broken away the better to the distance of the valve P from the outlet show the internal mechanism. Fig. 2 is a of the feed-pipe may be regulated, as the plan with a part of the casing and b'urner restrip will spring slightly, and thus the amount 25 moved. Fig. 3 is alsoaplan with the mechanof gas passing through the pipe to supply the ism removed from the upper chamber. Fig. taper will, be regulated. 4 is an elevation of the armature, its shaft, In some cases, instead of the screw resting the valve, 320., detached. Figs. 5, 6, and 7 repon the magnet, I use the end of the screw for resent modifications. the valve, as shown in Fig. 7, in which case, 0 Referring now to the details of construcalso, the amount of gas for the taper will be tion as shown in the drawings, A represents regulated by turning the screw in or out.

the base, provided with a socket B to screw In the modification shown in Fig. 5 the onto the supply-pipe in place of the ordinary end of the feed-pipe is curved, as at a, so as burner. Fromone sideofthis socket branches to have the gas pass out horizontally, and 35 out a feed-pipe O, which passes gas-tight the valve P moves to and from the same in through the base A, and also through a diathe manner of a lift-valve,instead of moving phragm D, having flanges (Z cl projecting up over the same, as in the style of valve shown i ward and downward, as shown in Fig. 1. in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4;.

Around this base and the lower flange is set I sometimes divide the armature in two, so 40 a cylinder E, and secured to the upper flange as to use two poles of an electro-magnet, as

is a dome F, of any suitable form, from the shown in Fig. 6. This style of armature may center of which rises the burner G, which be used either with the form of valve shown should be protected with a suitable shield or in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 or that shown in Fig. 5. cap to prevent the taper being blown out by Both forms are shown in Fig. 6, either or 45 the wind. The dome F is fitted gast-ight to both of which may be used. I

the flange of the diaphragm and forms a gas- Below the base are two binding-posts R, chamber, into which gas passes from the feedthrough which connection of the coil of the pipe 0. magnet maybe made with the line-wire and Between the bars A and diaphragm l) is an any suitable reversing device-such, for

instance, as that shown diagrammatically at Z.

The burner proper should be provided with a suitable protector to prevent the wind from blowing out the taper. This may be of any sui table shape. One form of protector shown. at X on Fig.1; but I do not limit myself: to this form. Suppose, now, that a series of these burners are properly connected with the service-pipe by being substituted for the ordinary burner, and that the magnets are properly connected through the binding-posts to an electrical circuit, and that this circuit is provided with a reversing apparatus by which the polarity of: the current may be changed, and that several of such series of burners, the, are connected to a suitable switching apparatus and battery of any suitable kind in a central office, and that all of the burners have been lighted by hand on commencing operations. This being done,if we send a current through the electric circuit, the electro-magnet will operate on the permanent magnet and move it in one direction or the other, according to the polarity of the current. If, for instance, the armature and valve are in the position shown in Fig. 2, with the gas on to its full power, a current of opposite polarity to that last used will cause the electro-magnet to change the position of the armature and valve, so that only sufficient gas will. pass through the pipe to keep the taper burning. If, on the contrary, only sufficient gas is passing through the burner to supply the taper and a current of the reverse polarity is sent through the circuit, then the eleetro-magnet will cause the armature and valve-strip to assume the position shown in Fig. 2, and the full amount of: the gas is allowed to escape from the feed-pipe, and the light is thus increased to its full force.

It will be understood that it requires only a momentary impulse to produce the required result, as the mechanism will remain at rest after the current is cut off, due to the attractive force of the permanent magnet. Therefore the same battery can be switched from one circuit to another to turn on or off the gas. After that it can. remain at rest.

As very little friction or resistance of any kind is to be overcome, only a small battery will be needed, and a small hand-dynamo may be used in place of a battery.

It will be observed that the valve never touches the seat, but is always :free from the same; hence there is no friction of the valve upon the scat, which will account; for the small amount of l.)attcry-power required.

I may sometimes dispense with the valvestrip altogether and so arrange the armature that it will be over and cover or uncover the opening in the feed-pipe. In such case, of course, the armature would be both an armature and a valve. \Vhere the armature was used as a valve the space between it and the end of the feed-pipe might be adjusted by the screws K K at the opposite ends oi? the central shaft.

Having thus shown how my invention may be practically carried out, but without limiting myself to the construction shown, I claim as new- 1. The combination, in agas-lighter, of an clectro-magnet, an armature thereil'or, a feedpipe having an orifice to discharge the gas, and a valve constructed and arranged. to be held in its normally-closed posi on conti uons to said orifice, but free from the walls thereof, and opened to allow the full. force of the gas to pass through without friction be tween the valve and the walls of the ori lice, substantially as described.

The combination, in a gas-lighter, of an electromagnet, a permanent magnetic armature therefor, a feedpipc having an orifice to discharge the gas, a valve held by the attraction of the permanent magnet in its normall yclosed position contiguous but'frce from corn tact with the walls of said orifice, and constructed to move away from the same to ad mit the full discharge therefrom \VlllllOllt friction between the walls of said orifice and the valve, substantially as described.

The combination, in. a gas-lighter, of an electro-magnet, a permanent magnetic armature, a feed-pipe having an orifice to discharge the gas, and a valve moving oversaid orifice to partially close the same while free from contact with the walls thereof, substantially as described.

4:. The combination, in a gasdightcr, of an eleetro-magnet, a permanent magnetic ciw cular armature therefor mounted on a central shaft, a feed-pipe having an orifice to discharge the gas, and a valve connected to and moving with said. armature and over said orifice, substantially as describci'l.

5. Thecombination, in a gas-lightm', of an clectroanagnet, a permanent magnetic circular armature therefor mounted on a central shaft, a teed-pipe having an orifice to discharge the gas, a valve connected to and moving with said armature, and means, as the screw Q, for regulating the amount of discharge for the taper, substantially as described.

(3. The combination, in a gas-lighterhaving upper and lower chambers, of an clcotroanagnet set in the lower chamber, a permanent magnetic circular armatn re thcrelj'or working in the upper chamber and mounted on a central shaft, a tube extending into the lower chamber and surrounding the central. shaft, a feed-pipe passing through the lower chamher and terminating .in the upper chamber, and a valve connectedto and moving with the armature and partially closing themouth of the feed-pipe, substantially as described.

7. The combination, in a gaslightcr, of an electro-magnet, a permanent magnetic armatnre therefor having its opposite poles arranged on opposite sides of one pole of the electro-magnet, a feed-pipe to discharge the gas, and a valve moving with said armature and governing the emission of the gas from said feed-pipe, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 6th day of De ceniber, 1888.

THEODORE J. ZOELLER. lVitnesses:

JOHN F. MUG, CHARLES G. ROGERS. 

